sports from a african american viewpoint

LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT JAN.15,2013

Letter to the President of the United States of America

Before the State of the Union meeting next week in Washington there are issues that need to be address

President Barack Obama

1600 Penna. Ave.

Washington D.C. 20500

Jan.16, 2013

Dear President Obama,

It is 2013, and the United States of America has much work to do. The time for compromise has ended, and the time for action has arrived. The White House has to take the lead on the issues I will mention later in this letter.

The Republican Party has shown that it does not have any intention to cooperate with you on any issue. Political Ideology has become more important than the needs of the American people.

Four years ago there was a cool breeze blowing through America’s heartland and through America’s inner cities. It was the voice of HOPE; it was the voice of dreams, and it was a vision of a bright, new future. When you, Sir, entered 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the hearts and minds of many were uplifted. Americans believed that we had a future. Please do not allow this dream to die.

You have followed in the tradition of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s (then) innovative night-time radio fireside chats to connect with the public, by using your own media innovation, the internet. This has to continue.

As mentioned above, there are further issues on which the White House must take the lead. These include:

1) Ensuring that your 2012-2016 cabinet reflects the population of the United States.

2) Demanding that the United States get its financial house in order.

3) Waging a new war on poverty.

4) Drafting, passing, and enforcing a comprehensive gun control law.

5) Creating a new jobs bill that targets minority and other disenfranchised citizens.

6) Implementing complete and comprehensive health care for all Americans.

7) Improving America’s secondary school education system.

8) Making sure that the United States leads the way with a new Civil Rights Bill for citizens with disabilities, children, women, and the lesbian-gay-bisexual, transgender (LGBT)communities.

9) Ending Bipartisan party bickering and getting Congress back to work as they were elected to do or firing them for not doing their jobs.

10) Begin to physically uplift and support the African American Community.

11) Have radio (internet) fireside chats on the issue of racism in America.

These are 12 significant issues that are of concern to many Americans including myself.

In 2005, your predecessor, President George W. Bush, stated that the American people gave him a “mandate” to continue his programs after the presidential elections of 2004. He went on to continue two wars in the Middle East and give tax breaks to the 1% of Americans that needed them the least. Furthermore, this president hurt the disabled community with his No Child Left Behind Education Program and crippled America’s school systems by cutting federal funding and thus, college tuition skyrocketed. The NCLB Act in fact, left thousands of disabled children behind and put them at risk when they became adults because they could not keep up with their able-bodied classmates. This compelled many board of education members to direct teachers and principals to exclude disabled students from the NCLB records because they would not receive federal funding if their school districts did not improve. This act only resulted in disabled students not receiving the proper education they need to graduate.

To address America’s failure to our children with disabilities, I suggest that you reach out to Michelle Rhee who is currently in Sacramento, California with her husband Mayor Kevin Johnson. Ms. Rhee tackled the Washington D.C. school system and pulled it from its national disgracing 48th place. The District moved to 28th place within just 2 years under her direction. Ms. Rhee did something nobody else believed could happen, teaching and improving the educational outcomes of inner city Black and brown children in the Washington D.C. Area.

Mr. President you have to take the lead on this issue; Congress, the Republican Party, or the Tea Party will not be in favor of this because they don’t want to spend money on America’s children.

Like that 1970′s car repair commercial states you can pay me now or pay me later with kids going to jail after they commit crimes against those or the loved ones of those who chose not to help them.

Sir, the country needs you to take a stand and do the hard things that others have either been afraid to or unwilling to do. You have been blessed with a second chance because we, the Citizens of America truly believed you when you said you wanted to create CHANGE 4 years ago. Your reelection will give us a chance to cash that check.

We want to move FORWARD Mr. President, and now it is time for you, without apology, without fear, without hesitancy, to take the LEAD.

Truly Yours,

Gary Norris Gray

Writer, Author, Historian. Gibbs Magazine-Oakland, California and New England Informer- Boston Mass. THE GRAYLINE:- The Analects of A Black Disabled Man, The Gray Leopard Cove on Blogtalkradio.com Disabled Community Activist. Email at garyngray@blackathlete.com